Animal welfare is a crucial aspect of GRI’s operations in Zambia.

Animal welfare has always been a crucial aspect of GRI’s operations in Zambia, and in 2015 GRI launched the GRI – Wildlife Veterinary Project (WVP) consisting of a wildlife veterinary clinic, rehabilitation and release facility as well as a mobile veterinary unit. WVP works closely with Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW), the Zambian Veterinary Council and the Veterinary Association of Zambia.

The overall objective is to support DNPW in conserving and protecting Zambia’s national parks and its wildlife in particular and to educate the local communities bordering national parks on the importance of conservation of their environment, all for the benefit of the people of Zambia.

The wildlife veterinary clinic on the eastern boundary of the Kafue National Park acts as the centerpiece of the WVP project. The clinic serves as a professional establishment to perform veterinary surgeries and to carry out treatments. Injuries may include snares, gunshot wounds, wounds sustained from motor vehicles, or animal abuse.

When the WVP-veterinarian(s), together with DNPW-vets, conclude(s) that an injured animal cannot immediately be released back to the wild and requires short or long term care it can be transported to the Kafue Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Facility – which is linked to the clinic – for rehabilitation and future release.

The Kafue Mobile Veterinary Unit will allow the WVP and DNPW veterinarians to respond swiftly to all reports of injured wildlife and drive to the location for chemical, physical or manual capture and restraint of all wildlife cases, as well as for administering all veterinary medical care during and after capture. Where possible, all animals will be anesthetized and treated on-site, and immediately released back into the wild. The mobile unit will also improve the coverage of the veterinary services in the communities bordering the Kafue National Park by facilitating staff access to remote areas.